The article discusses recent findings about the diets of early human migrants, known as the Clovis people, who entered the Americas about 14,000 years ago. Initially thought to be generalists, new research suggests they primarily consumed large megafauna like mammoths and giant sloths, with up to 99% of their diet derived from these large herbivores.
The study analyzed data from 50 archaeological sites across North and South America, covering different population groups. The research indicates that these dietary specialists were able to rapidly spread across the continents by following their preferred prey into new ecosystems. The extinction of megafauna around 11,500 to 13,000 years ago prompted a shift in human diets toward smaller animals, leading to greater cultural diversification as groups adapted locally.
The researchers’ findings are detailed in a paper published in Science Advances.
